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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. charge — in control
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bound — certain
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. current — electric
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. charge — a price
  12. capital — money
  13. charge — electricity
  14. current — happening now
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. prune — to trim
  17. current — of water
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. capital — a city
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — obliged
  24. stick — a piece of wood

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com